1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of communication networks. In particular, the present invention relates to a system and method for providing concentrated access to a communication network by wireless devices.
2. Related Art
Electronic systems and circuits have made a significant contribution towards the advancement of modern society and are utilized in a number of applications to achieve advantageous results. Numerous electronic technologies such as digital computers, calculators, audio devices, video equipment, and telephone systems facilitate increased productivity in analyzing and communicating data, ideas and trends in most areas of business, science, education and entertainment. Often these advantageous results are realized and maximized through the use of distributed resources. Utilizing distributed resources usually involves numerous devices relying on various communication mediums to communicate with each other. However, providing convenient communication network connections capable of accommodating a variety of communication devices is often expensive and very difficult.
Communication technologies are advancing at an incredible rate in significantly different directions due to the advantages provided by different configurations and implementations. Networks can be arranged in numerous configurations comprising a variety of network types. Some of the most popular types of networks comprise Ethernet (coaxial cable or twisted-pair cable), token ring, Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI), Frame Relay, Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), X.25, and Synchronous Data Link Control (SDLC). Different communication protocols usually have different advantages. The different advantageous characteristics of communication protocols or configurations often tend to be somewhat mutually exclusive and the utilization of a particular communication architecture usually results in a trade off of benefits. Hardwire communication networks and wireless communication networks are one example of two protocols that tend to have mutually exclusive characteristics such as inversely proportional bandwidth and portability attributes.
Hardwired networks typically provide significant bandwidth and are better equipped to satisfy significant communication requirements associated with advanced and complicated end use applications. However, hardwire communication networks involve the installation of significant infrastructure resources that are relatively expensive to install and maintain. For example, traditional communication networks such as a local area network (LAN) typically have multiple parallel cable or communication bus runs to end use devices at each worksite. The parallel runs are a significant portion of the resources and costs associated with installation of a network, the more parallel runs the greater expenditure or resources. Hardwired devices also typically require a connection to a central power supply (such as utility power) and the power is usually delivered by separate cable runs. The portability of the end use devices in a hardwired system is usually hindered and limited by the “tethered” connection to a network.
Wireless communications technologies tend to offer a number of benefits not readily available in hardwired systems. For example, wireless communication devices usually provided ease of use and greater mobility. However, wireless devices tend to have characteristics that are limited with regard to certain desirable features. For example, wireless communication devices tend have relatively limited bandwidth compared to hardwired communication systems. The operation of wireless devices also tends to be limited by the amount of the power available (e.g., batteries) in the portable device. The reliability of wireless communications are also generally susceptible to adverse impacts due to affects such as loss or deterioration of signal due to noise, interference, distance, etc., and are more susceptible to security infiltration and illicit activities.
Many of the adverse affects encountered in a communications network are related to the manner in which devices are “connected to” the communication network. Typically, communications protocols between major communication network facilities (such as a plurality of head end host devices or central switching centers) have characteristics that lend themselves to fixed unchanging connection mechanisms that are resource extensive and undesirable (e.g., overkill) for most downstream end use connections. However, it is usually desirable for downstream connections to be flexibly capable of accommodating a wide variety of differently configured end use devices. Downstream end use connections to a communication network are often initially made at a local area network (LAN) with different downstream end use devices (such as a group of personal computers (PC), printers, faxes, etc.) located in a home or single business site (location). Traditional attempts at accommodating initial connections to a communications network are usually ad hoc, of questionable reliability, resource intensive (such as separate communication paths and connections to upstream facilities for each connection), inefficiently managed and subject to failures (e.g., caused by accidental breakage or removal of a wire).
There are a number of other desirable communication network features that are often critically impacted by a communication network connection point. For example, maintenance troubleshooting and fault detection are usually complicated and resource intensive activities. Traditional technologies sometimes rely upon separate stand alone connection points (such as connection points in unanchored boxes) that are susceptible to movement, attempted tampering or accidental damage (such as coffee spills, getting knocked over, hit, jarred, etc.) by ordinary end users that do not have the requisite knowledge or skill to participate in network facility administration activities. Some traditional attempts at correcting communication problems are directed to connections dedicated on a per user or end use device basis and these very “rigid” approaches tend to remove a desirable level of end user connection flexibility. While the flexibility of users being able to easily move end use devices to different locations or connect different devices to a connection point is advantageous and convenient, the potential movement of the stand alone connection points by end users rather than network maintenance personnel is not desirable since it tends to introduce additional variables to a troubleshooting process.
Traditional end use connection points are also often vulnerable to security breaches. Some traditional security approaches rely upon software security solutions but these usually require constant maintenance and management and are subject to attacks through common hacking techniques. For example, stand alone connection points are susceptible to illicit interaction behind a firewall. An additional weakness of traditional software solutions is that the end use device to be networked may not be able to host requisite software. Wireless communications are particularly vulnerable to illicit interception. Wireless communications are usually broadcast over long distances covering publicly accessible spaces making interception relatively easy.
Accordingly, what is required is a flexible communications network connection point that provides convenient and effective connection of network devices to a network.